List of 10 rare diseases affecting children
In support of Rare Disease Day on 28 February, what follows is a list of only 10 of the thousands of
rare diseases that affect children. Children diagnosed with any of these 10 diseases would benefit
from a palliative care approach.
1. Batten Disease affects boys and girls. Symptoms of Batten disease usually start between the
ages of 5 and 10 years and include loss of vision or seizures. Over time there is a loss of
muscle control and some wasting of brain tissue. Progressive sight loss and dementia occur.
There is no treatment available to cure or slow the progression of Batten disease and it is
always fatal, with death usually in the late teens or early twenties. Learn more
2. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) affects the use of voluntary muscles in the body and
is inherited, primarily affecting boys of all ethnic backgrounds. Normal development occurs
initially but between the ages of 2 and 6 the affected child may have difficulty walking,
running or climbing and struggle to lift their head due to a weak neck. Eventually the heart
and breathing muscles are affected which leads to difficulty breathing, fatigue and heart
problems due to an enlarged heart. Even with the best medical treatment young men with
DMD seldom live beyond their early thirties. Learn more
3. CANDLE Syndrome (Chronic Atypical Neutrophilic Dermatosis with Lipodystrophy and
Elevated Temperature Syndrome) is a very rare auto inflammatory disease. It is an inherited,
genetic condition. Patients have recurring fevers, beginning in infancy, which happen almost
daily. They also present with delayed development, skin rashes and unique facial features
such as thicker lips, swollen eyelids. Children develop swelling around the eye sockets,
clubbing of fingers and toes and gradual enlargement of the liver. There is not effective
therapeutic treatment for CANDLE syndrome and life expectancy is compromised with death
often resulting from organ inflammation. Quality of life is also severely affected. Learn more
4. Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease or chILD, is a broad term for a group of rare lung
diseases that can affect babies, children and teens. The disease harms the lungs by
damaging the tissues that surround the alveoli and bronchial tubes and sometimes the air
sacs and airways. Lung function is decreased, blood oxygen levels reduced and the breathing
process is disturbed. The disease has only been researched in the last decade and it is not
known how many children have each type of chILD. Severity differs according to the type of
the disease but can lead to early death. There is no cure. Learn more
5. Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are a group of genetic disorders which share common features
including easy bruising, joint hypermobility, skin that stretches easily and weakness of
tissues. Symptoms vary in severity according to the form of the disorder and treatment
according to the particular manifestations present in the patient. Symptoms may also
affect the autonomic nervous system used for breathing and urination. Learn more
6. Ellis Van Creveld syndrome is an inherited disorder due to an error on Chromosome 4 and is
usually diagnosed at birth. Symptoms include short stature, short forearms and legs, extra
fingers and toes, narrow chest with short ribs and malformed pelvis. 50 – 60% have a heart
defect. Respiratory infections are common and about half those born with this syndrome die
in early infancy. Learn more
7. Gaucher disease (Types 1, 2 and 3) is an inherited storage disorder where fatty substances
build up to toxic levels in the spleen, liver, lungs, bone marrow and sometimes in the brain.
It is genetically inherited and affects both boys and girls. Symptoms of Gaucher Type 2 begin
in infancy, usually by 3 months and these children seldom live past 3 years of age. Learn
more
8. Krabbe Disease has 4 subtypes, each beginning at different ages. Type 1 is the most
common and begins between 3 – 6 months. It affects the nerve cells and causes nerve cell
damage, leading to loss of use of muscles, increasing muscle tone, arching of the back and
damage to vision and hearing. There is no cure or way to stop the disease once it is in full
swing and babies with the Type 1 infantile form usually die by 13 months. Learn more
9. Neuroblastoma is a rare and aggressive childhood cancer of unknown cause. It usually
affects children under the age of five, and can occur before a child is born, often spreading
to other parts of the body before any symptoms become apparent. Long-term survival for
children with advanced disease older than 18 months of age is poor and most of the
survivors have long-term effects from the treatment. Learn more
10. Pompe disease is caused by a deficiency or lack of an enzyme, leading to the build-up of
glycogen and has an infantile and late onset form. The former usually appears in the first few
months of life where babies have trouble holding up their heads. The heart muscles become
diseased and the heart becomes enlarged and weak. Babies with the infantile form usually
die before their first birthday due to heart failure and respiratory weakness. Learn more
Learn more at www.rarediseaseday.org